Category: Articles

Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated last Friday morning by a lone assassin as he was giving a speech at a campaign stop for a political colleague at the city of Nara.

Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister and was a firm supporter of Israel. During his time in office Abe visited Yad Vashem in Israel, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the former home of Sugihara Chiune, “the Japanese Schindler,” in Kaunas, Lithuania.

During his visit to Yad Vashem, Abe said, “Today I find myself [fully] determined. Ha-sho’a le’olam lo od. The Holocaust, never again … I felt great solemnity in the face of your forefathers, who overcame profound grief to found the nation of Israel.”

Abe also visited the Anne Frank House Museum, making him one of the most prominent world leaders to have ever done so. Abe shared that he had read the diary of Anne Frank as a child and said he wished to “reiterate lasting and profound friendship between Japan and the Jewish people around the world.”

AFSI remembers Abe’s warm friendship to Israel and the Jewish people. May the family of former Prime Minister Abe and the people of Japan know no more sorrow.

Source:
Japan’s Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Assassinated, Was Friend of Israel, by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, July 8, 2022

Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday said drones launched by the Lebanese Hezbollah terror group at an Israeli offshore gas field last week were Iranian.

On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces intercepted three Hezbollah drones heading for the Karish gas field. Hezbollah confirmed it launched the drones after previously threatening the field, which sits in a maritime area that both Lebanon and Israel claim as their own. In another incident last Wednesday, a drone launched by the terror group was downed over Lebanon’s waters

“It should be said that Hezbollah is acting on behalf of Iran and its weapons are weapons made in Iran, whether they are manufactured there or the knowledge was acquired by [Hezbollah],” Gantz stated.

Gantz recently spoke about Israel building a regional air defense alliance against Iran, and spoke last week of a possible “breakthrough” during Biden’s upcoming visit to the region. This initiative is being built with other countries in the region to ensure a secure, stable and prosperous Middle East and includes aerial defense.

Israel’s interest in preventing Iranian aggression is of the highest order and we are glad to see Israel not caving in to those who are delirious for a deal with Iran to be secured.

Source:
Gantz says Hezbollah drones launched at offshore gas field were ‘products of Iran’, by Emanuel Fabia/Times of Israel, July 7, 2022

Shehadeh Abu al-Qiyan, 25, a resident of the Bedouin community of Hura in the Negev, was instructed by the Gaza Strip-based terrorist organization Kitab ul-Mujahideen to enlist in the IDF and promote terrorist activity, the Shin Bet revealed on Thursday. Abu al-Qiyan was arrested on May 30. He is a relative of the terrorist who killed four civilians in a terrorist attack in Be’er Sheva in March.

The Regavim Movement responded to today’s announcement. “We have been following the failed attempts at regulation and resettlement by Israeli governments for over two decades – attempts that have resulted in the development of a state within a state: The State of Bedouistan.

There are many Bedouin who are proud to serve in the IDF and do so without terrorist motives. They enlist out of concerns regarding the threats facing their home country and do Israel proud. The joint operation by Shabak (Israel Security Agency), Israel Police, and the military police successfully exposed and caught a Bedouin with bad intentions. Despite the pros that Israel benefits from and the cons nipped in the bud, the problem of regulating the Bedouin community still exists. Regavim stated today as they have many times in the past that, “…as long as the State of Israel refrains from enforcing the law, the security threat will continue to grow deeper and more serious.”

Sources:
Regavim reacts to Bedouin spy: ‘State of Bedouistan’, by Israel National News, July 7, 2022

Bedouin IDF Recruit Caught Spying for Gaza Terrorists, by David Israel/Jewish Press, July 7, 2022

What on earth is Canada’s military doing patrolling in and meeting Arabs in Area C?

In recent weeks, a delegation of senior Canadian military personnel has been documented patrolling in uniform in Area C in Judea and Samaria, including at an illegally-built structure. They were caught in two places in Gush Etzion: Carmi Tzur and again meeting with Arabs near Kisan.

The ongoing illegal PA land grabs of Israeli land in Area C along with illegal Arab construction has grown enormously over the years and now Canada appears to be a willing partner working against Israel. We can find no further information yet on why this is happening and find it disturbing. Meir Deutsch, Regavim’s Director-General said, “as long as the State of Israel sees itself as a guest in Judea and Samaria and does not conduct itself as the landlord, the rest of the world will also see the State of Israel as a guest and not as the landlord.”

Source:
Canadian army helping Palestinians take over Judea and Samaria, by Aryeh Savir/TPS via World Israel News, July 7, 2022

The Israeli government has postponed the advancement of plans to expand Jewish building in Judea until four months after U.S. President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel, likely due to fear of an American backlash.

A meeting of the Civil Administration’s High Planning Subcommittee, during which the E-1 project was likely to have been formally approved, was set to take place a few days after Biden’s visit. Often a US president will cancel a visit when elections are on the horizon. Not only is Biden coming, but he is coming with an agenda that we believe could be harmful to Israel. On Friday, June 29 progressive Democrats sent Biden a letter calling for the U.S. to pressure Israel not to move forward with the plan. Not surprisingly, the planning subcommittee announced on Monday that the session had been pushed back to September and we have to interpret that as a response to US pressure.

The interim period until Israel elects a new government has us concerned. Lapid says he intends to run the government as if there were no upcoming elections. However the left in Israel and the US are likely to see an opportunity to pressure Israel into bowing to their demands. We pray they do not succeed.

Source:
Ahead of Biden visit, Israel quietly pushes back settlement plans, by World Israel News Staff, July 5, 2022

With tensions surrounding the future of Homesh and its yeshiva, IDF soldiers are being impacted by the uncertainty along with what the yeshiva’s administration refers to as the “tightening stranglehold” being enforced on Homesh. This is due to the policies of Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

Three separate instances of refusal of orders have been reported in recent days, all in relation to Homesh and the roadblocks set up around the community, preventing unauthorized persons from accessing the yeshiva in vehicles. Elisha Ben Kimon of Ynet reported on one instance of refusal of orders by an IDF soldier as told to him by an eyewitness. The soldier was sent to a commander’s jeep after refusing orders to check the vehicles of “settlers” and Palestinian Arabs. “This isn’t why I enlisted,” the soldier said in explanation. Following the incident, he was sent for an “explanatory discussion” on the importance of maintaining discipline.

We certainly don’t wish for IDF soldiers to go against military orders but in this case we wonder if the more of them that stand up the greater the statement will be that Gantz’s policies that work against achieving sovereignty in Judea and Samaria need to stop. And, during Israel’s governmental transition period, could it be that IDF soldiers are taking advantage of a weakness they see and using this period to take a stand?

Source:
IDF soldiers refusing orders to bar entrance to Homesh, by Y. Rabinovitz/Israel National News, July 3, 2022

Americans For A Safe Israel mourns the loss of the six individuals killed in yesterday’s mass shooting in Highland Park, IL. Among them were Jews who were well known to the large Jewish community in Highland Park (Nicholas Toledo and Jackie Sundheim, pictured here). According to the most recent report, 24 were wounded. We pray for the full recovery of those wounded and a return to normalcy for Highland Park residents as soon as possible.

While there are constant cries for gun control laws, others say it’s mental health issues that need to be addressed. Horrific events such as the July 4 tragedy now seem routine and we all wonder if and when this will ever end. We can’t wrap our heads around this anymore. We are such an educated people living in a high tech advanced world and carnage such as yesterday’s cannot be prevented? It makes it all the more baffling when you consider that Israel lives under the constant threat of terror attacks but does not experience its own people looking to kill for whatever reason.

It is not AFSI’s intention nor our mission to take a position on the gun control debate in the United States. Nevertheless, maybe – just maybe – the US should seriously consider looking to Israel as an example of how gun control can work to a greater extent than it currently does in America. We found a February 15, 2018, New York Post story on Israel’s gun control laws and how it might positively affect the US. While the report doesn’t discuss specifics related to how Israel’s gun control model can address non-military US citizens who have a right to bear arms under the US Constitution’s Second Amendment, it is still a good article to read and certainly food for thought.

Source:
Israel’s gun control laws can make the US safer, too, by Janet Rosenbaum/New York Post, February 15, 2018

Israel’s Knesset voted 92–0 to disband itself Thursday morning, a little over 14 months after it convened and a year after the government was sworn in. Israel now heads toward its fifth election since 2019, set for November 1, 2022.

Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid formally succeeds Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as premier at midnight between Thursday and Friday. He will hold the post through the elections and until a new coalition is formed.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett formally announced his intention not to run in the upcoming elections for the 25th Knesset. He will remain ‘alternate prime minister’ and in charge of the Iranian issue until the next government is sworn-in following the elections. Bennett issued a statement from the Knesset stating that he intends to assist Yair Lapid upon taking office as Prime Minister. “I will help him [Lapid] as much as he needs. I do not intend to run in the upcoming elections, but I will remain a loyal soldier of this country.”

And so the road to new elections begins – again. We’d like to think that these new elections will put the country on the right track. Israel and its citizens are hurting from a lack of governmental continuity. It must get back to adhering to its founding Zionist principles, which have never forsaken the country. Israel’s next coalition must remain true to the implementation of those Zionist values for the sake of the country’s defense, future and safety.

Source:
Knesset disbands, sets elections for November 1; Lapid to become PM at midnight, by Carrie Keller-Lynn/Times of Israel, June 30, 2022

Bennett steps down: I will remain a loyal soldier of Israel, by Israel National News, June 29, 2022

For years there have been specially guarded trips one night a month for Jews to pray at Joseph’s Tomb. It was understood that Jews who otherwise are prohibited to enter Shechem/Nablus could come in in a group on that one night to pray at the tomb of this central figure of Jewish history and faith.

Last night during one of these trips, Shomron brigade commander Colonel Roi Zweig and two civilians were slightly injured by terrorist gunfire that was directed at the compound of the tomb. Hundreds of Jewish worshipers were there to mark the yahrzeit of Joseph, the son of Jacob on the start of the month of Tammuz. Col. Zweig was reportedly hit by shrapnel in his stomach and was evacuated by military helicopter to Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva. The other two injured were evacuated by ambulance.

Samaria Council Head Yossi Dagan, who was at the site during the shooting, reported: “Col. Zweig refused treatment for his injury before he safely evacuated all worshipers. We will not give up our hold on Joseph’s tomb and will continue to reach it. We strengthen IDF soldiers and will defeat the barbaric terrorism of the Palestinian Authority.”

Source:
Terrorists Open Fire on Worshippers inside Joseph’s Tomb, 3 Injured, by David Israel/Jewish Press, June 30, 2022

Avi Zinger, Israeli franchise owner of Ben & Jerry’s, announced yesterday that conglomerate owner Unilever has extended his franchise in Israel. This allows him to continue selling Ben & Jerry’s products in Judea and Samaria and also concludes the discriminatory boycott that developed last year.

We thank our AFSI activists for heeding the call to our Action Alerts on this issue. Your efforts played a big part in this victory. AFSI also applauds Avi Zinger who has been fighting for years against BDS groups and refused to implement the Ben & Jerry’s boycott.

Though this is great news for Israel, it’s not a total victory. Let’s remember that Ben & Jerry’s in the U.S. continues its Israel-hatred with an anti-Semitic new employee training requirement to watch video lectures by anti-Israel BDS leaders. In addition, Ben & Jerry’s said it does not agree with Unilever’s decision to sell off the ice-cream brand’s Israeli business. “We continue to believe it is inconsistent with Ben & Jerry’s values for our ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” Ben & Jerry, typical self-hating Jews only set of “values” is their anti-Semitism, which equates to Israel hatred.

The boycott by Ben & Jerry’s created a public relations headache for Unilever as pro-Israel politicians in the US sought economic retaliatory measures. So, does Unilever’s sale to Avi Zinger signal a win for Israel or a “Jewish problem” Unilever is glad to get rid of?

“What a world, what a world!” Who would have thought a good little summer treat would destroy a small part of the BDS agenda? We wonder what other unexpected efforts it will take to crush the BDS narrative that works day and night to delegitimize Israel. As Yesha leaders applaud this win for Israel, we can smile knowing that Judea and Samaria residents can continue to enjoy a favorite summer treat while a part of BDS is crushed.

Sources:
Cool Victory: Unilever Grants Ben & Jerry’s Israel the Right to Continue Selling in Jewish Settlements, by David Israel/Jewish Press, June 29, 2022

Unilever announces Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to remain in Judea & Samaria, by Yoni Kempinski/Israel National News, June 29, 2022

Ben & Jerry’s criticises deal that will resume sales in occupied territories, by Sarah Butler/The Guardian, June 30, 2022